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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29897184">you are my summer love (always will be)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sungieplum/pseuds/sungieplum'>sungieplum</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot, Romance, Stars, Summer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:07:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29897184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sungieplum/pseuds/sungieplum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Mhm,” Jisung avoids his gaze and chooses to stare at the sky instead. Chenle decides that even when they’re completely different, they’re similar in that way— they both run away from things they can’t control. Like feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Park Jisung &amp; Zhong Chen Le, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you are my summer love (always will be)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoondong/gifts">yoondong</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>to my bestie if you're reading this: i failed, i can't stop projecting on the things i write. hope you enjoy this one! i &lt;3 u</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chenle loves summertime. The warm rays of sun on his skin, the contrastingly chill breeze as he walks by the shore, everything— he just loves it all.  What he loves the most though, is the boy lagging behind him muttering about how “we’re dead, mom’s going to kill me after this” as they feel the soft rumble of waves stop short by  their feet under the dull night sky. There aren’t so many stars except for one and it’s not even bright, but Chenle finds it perfect as he looks back to his company. </p><p> </p><p>“Can we go back now?” Jisung asks for the nth time and Chenle almost tells him to go, but he wouldn’t do that. Instead, he says, “One last turn then we’ll go home.”</p><p> </p><p>He starts walking again and Jisung grumbles. Chenle knows he’d rather get comfortable in his bed, but he appreciates Jisung coming along despite knowing full well that he’d extend their visit to the beach a lot longer than they agreed on. He sits on the sand, just far enough that his toes touch the waves, but not close enough to get him wet. Chenle pats the space beside him and Jisung groans, yet he takes off his slippers and sits on it. Chenle smiles; he really <em> really </em> likes this. </p><p> </p><p>“Have you ever thought of how the stars we see in the sky are probably the dead ones?” </p><p> </p><p>Jisung mumbles something that he doesn’t hear but Chenle lets it go. He continues instead, “We’re seeing the remnants of their past. It sounds brave.”  He gazes at the sky, focusing on that one star. The silence settles between them, only for Jisung to speak. </p><p> </p><p>“Why’s that brave?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think I’ll be able to share my past with someone,” he says. His past isn’t even that terrible— he has loving parents, a goofy older brother and a rather cute nephew. He has high marks, he’s well-liked and is admired by everybody (Jisung attests to this). Still, he continues to spiral to the black hole of negative thoughts and he’s only 19. Not that he’s saying young people can’t have these problems, it’s just that he thinks he’s not qualified enough to complain (or even think) about it. He knows he’s invalidating himself, but somehow under all the assurance and praises, he still thinks that he’s a fraud. </p><p> </p><p>Jisung hums, pulling him back into reality. He always manages to do that with a simple gesture (like a hum, a clear of the throat, etc.), as if he’s an anchor to help raise Chenle who’s in the deepest part of the ocean. He appreciates it. “You share it with me, though.” </p><p> </p><p>For a second, Chenle forgets about their conversation when he suddenly remembers. “That’s because I trust you,” he says with a genuine laugh. “You’re tolerable.” </p><p> </p><p>“Then you’re brave, too.” </p><p> </p><p>Chenle is caught off-guard by the sincerity. He expected Jisung to laugh at “tolerable”, especially because they both know Jisung’s more than tolerable. He’s wonderful, understanding and clumsy; he’s even a hopeless romantic. “I’m not brave.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yes, you are,” the younger insists. It’s been so long since Chenle’s seen him this passionate about something and he laughs at the situation because the one time Jisung decides to focus on something is about proving Chenle wrong. “You’re brave like the stars, Che, willing to let me see through you. Even if it’s just me, I appreciate it because I know it took a lot to let me in your life.” </p><p> </p><p><em> Wrong </em> , he thinks, <em> it’s easy when it comes to you, Ji. I didn’t even have to let you in, because you’re already there. You’re always there.  </em></p><p> </p><p>He suddenly realizes that no matter how much Jisung says he’s like the stars, it isn’t true. Never, because Jisung’s the star— he’s there no matter what, even on the days and nights you couldn’t see him. He’s just there, and Chenle feels a surge of affection for him. </p><p> </p><p>Chenle stares straight at Jisung for the first time in the night; he usually avoids doing this, his heart can’t handle it. “It’s not <em> just </em> you. You’re Jisung.” <em> You’re much more significant to me, </em> the words sit on his tongue heavily. </p><p> </p><p>“Mhm,” Jisung avoids his gaze and chooses to stare at the sky instead. Chenle decides that even when they’re completely different, they’re similar in that way— they both run away from things they can’t control. Like feelings.  “We should really go back now,” Jisung whispers softly. </p><p> </p><p>Chenle nods somberly, wanting to stay a bit more. He doesn’t though, he stands up and follows Jisung instead. It’s almost nine in the evening, the two skipping on dinner. A bad move, because now the two of them are hungry. Chenle points to a nearby barbecue place, “We should really eat.” </p><p> </p><p>They buy a plastic bag of probably 10 sticks of barbecue, chicken skewer and <em> isaw </em> (chicken intestines) in which they eat as they walk home. Their houses aren’t that far actually; Jisung’s house is right in front of his. It is a long walk from the beach though, giving them time to talk more. They’re full and sleepy, so a talk is just what they need to prevent collapsing on the street due to post-dinner tiredness. </p><p> </p><p>“Have you ever been in love, Tal?” he asks, too dazed with fullness to even realize the cheesiness of the question. Jisung laughs, but for entirely different reasons. Tal is a long-forgotten nickname when he was 11 and Chenle was 12, a shortened version of <em> talino </em> , which means intelligence in Filipino. That’s what his name means— Jisung means intelligence. It was cute when they were younger, but it’s utterly ridiculous now that they’re 19.  <em> Chenle’s the intelligent one </em>, Jisung thinks. </p><p> </p><p>Jisung shakes his head, finally answering the question after too many beats. “No,” he says. “Love is complicated, and messy— I don’t like that. It’s all a trap, a group of people making us think we’re not truly happy when we’re alone, making us want for relationships when we don’t need one. But we actually are enough on our own and with our friends, therefore strengthening the argument that love is nothing but a fraud.” </p><p> </p><p>So much for a hopeless romantic. </p><p> </p><p>“Why do you keep reading books and watching movies about it, then?” Chenle asks and he’s quite certain that his breath just hitched when Jisung looked straight at him, as if his eyes are searching for something— probably asking for the assurance that  there will be no judgment. Chenle gives him just that. </p><p> </p><p>Jisung looks away as he mutters, “Love is a trap and I’ve been caught, Che.” </p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, Chenle isn’t so full anymore. There’s the hollow feeling in his stomach, as if it’s waiting for a rock to drop in the pit of isaw and water.  He doesn’t know what came to him and he really needs to shut up now, because he’s now wide awake with the surge of nerves and a hopeful feeling. That’s never a  good sign for Chenle. Still, he says “I love you” before he could even think about it. </p><p> </p><p>Jisung pauses. They’re just a few blocks away from their houses and there’s only two ways this could go: 1) Jisung  runs away from him, he fucks up their friendship and never see him again other than awkward glances from across the street, or 2) Jisung stays and ignores the confession, pretends nothing happens. Chenle thinks that would hurt more, but either way, it’s going to be his fault. </p><p> </p><p>What happens next though, is totally different from what he imagines. Jisung doesn’t say anything for a while, looking everywhere except him. Chenle considers that as a rejection, but the next words from Jisung says otherwise. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re the trap, Che. You caught me.” </p><p> </p><p>Jisung is startled when a heavy-than-usual Chenle attacks him with a hug. He usually shies away from affection, but like always, he could make an exception for Chenle. </p><p> </p><p>He always does, anyway. </p><p> </p><p>The next few moments is just Chenle rambling about how “you’re so stupid, tal, how could you be in love with me and not tell me” and a bit of  “I love you so much I’m going to punch you” with a side of  “we should really get home but I’m so happy and I wanna kiss you so bad—” to which Jisung cuts him off with a kiss as messy as what he presumes love is. It’s rushed and they both don’t have experience but hey, they’re in love. </p><p> </p><p>At least, that’s what they feel at the moment with the stars above them to witness it. For the first time, they don't run away from it. </p><p> </p><p>For the first time, they willingly surrender to things they can't control. Like feelings.</p><p><br/>
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